Teachings from the Medicine Buddha Retreat (Audio and Unedited Transcripts)

By Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Soquel, CA 2001 (Archive #1331)

The audio recordings offered here are of the teachings which form the basis of the book Teachings From the Medicine Buddha Retreat.

The teachings which form Chapters 8 through 10 are included. Rinpoche gives teachings on a variety of topics such as making offerings and meditating on emptiness.

Chapter 10 Part B: Meditating on Emptiness

Thursday November 1 Part B

/ consciousness, so same, so on merely labeled feeling there is truly existent appearance. And the merely labeled cognition, aggregates of cognition, which is merely labeled, on that there is a truly existent appearance, projection.

And the merely labeled compounding aggregates there is the, on that merely labeled one there is the projection, there is truly existent appearance. And on the merely labeled consciousness there is truly existent appearance and projection.

And then from there the limbs and down to the particles of atoms, on all those merely labeled ones there’s a truly existent projection on all these, truly existent appearance that which is a projection. And consciousness, split seconds of consciousness, and split seconds of that consciousness, all that, all those which are merely labeled then but there is a truly existent appearance there, a projection. [pause]

So you can say projection or hallucination, we can use either one of them. So that, okay, so just focus on this. Look at this, reflect on this. This is how it appears and how I see it in my mind and believe. So all these, then now think, from the I down to the particles of atoms, split seconds of consciousness, all these are hallucination. All these are hallucinations. [long pause]

Intensely meditate on these, all these are hallucinations, looking at all these as hallucinations, that which are hallucinations. [long pause]

So while you are practicing mindfulness or looking at the hallucination as they are hallucination, so the idea of emptiness comes in your heart as a result. So there your understanding, ?cho tam she rang zhin tong pa, so all the phenomena their nature empty. So exactly your mind, so that commentary is your experience. The word what is said in the text is you are seeing that. So all these, so your mind seeing that.

So now, same, the outside, all this what we see here, all the things, every single phenomena that we see here, all this, first of all we start with the form, all these things, so all these what is merely imputed by my mind, then there is hallucination, there’s truly existent appearance projected on all this, completely covered. Around here, whether you are looking at people, whether you are looking at me, statues, all these, everything here, so then, all here, flowers, then so similar, form, this is form, sound, merely imputed sound, then there is a projection inherently existent appearance. Smell, I hope you have some smell there, otherwise we can’t meditate on emptiness, I hope you have some smell, in order to meditate on emptiness. So that we can meditate on emptiness. Somebody can create the smell. Anyway, to support, the next person to meditate on emptiness. Anyway, I’m joking, anyway. So anyway, whatever you call bad smell or good smell or fantastic smell, whatever, anyway so merely imputed smell, smell merely imputed by your mind, and then…. Maybe we just do that tonight. And then so merely imputed smell, which is merely imputed by one’s own mind and projected on that the truly existent appearance. So your mind made it a real smell appearing from there, smell from its own side. Your mind made a real smell appearing from there. Whether the smell is perfume or whether the smell is kaka. Anyway, or incense.

Then taste, merely imputed, the taste merely imputed by mind and then on that it’s covered by projection, the truly existent appearance. So same. So you hear my throat, my voice from throat, so merely imputed one and then it’s hallucination, truly existent appearance, real voice, real sound, appearing to you.

So anyway, taste, similar the taste, merely imputed taste then covered by hallucination, then one is covered by truly existent appearance. Then tangible, merely imputed tangible, rough, this is soft, this is rough, this and that. This is hard, like that. Merely imputed tangible then it’s covered by the truly existent appearance, the hallucination, or the projection.

So by reflecting the suffering not animal realm, not preta realm, the heaviest suffering of samsara, or in samsara maybe, then one’s own mind merely imputed hell. Then on that projected, then that is covered by, that reality is covered by the truly existent appearance, that hallucination, projected there. So then same cessation of defilements and the complete in all the realizations, so that the mind or the ultimate nature of the mind that which is free from all the defilements, so, because free from all the defilements so it’s completed, so that mind is completed in all the qualities, realizations. So that mind or the ultimate nature of that mind, so that’s labeled merely imputed enlightenment, and on that it’s covered by, that’s the reality but that is covered by inherently existent, truly existent appearance, the hallucination projected by one’s own mind, the negative imprint left by ignorance.

So now then, ?cho tam che rang zhin kyi tong pa tong pai _____ ____, so now all these phenomena covered by hallucination. Starting from the I, as we meditated before, all those phenomena, then all the rest of phenomena, all covered by hallucination. All that which exist merely imputed by mind, all covered by hallucination. [pause]

So now practicing mindfulness a little bit, practicing mindfulness here a little bit. [pause] Awareness of the hallucination. [pause] Looking at the hallucination true which are hallucination, all these phenomena covered by hallucination. [pause]

By my own hallucination. Hallucination came from my mind, projected by my mind, so including the mind, merely imputed, covered by hallucination, inherently existent mind, a real mind, appearing from there. [pause] So all these are hallucination. All these are hallucination. Just very deep mindfulness, all these are hallucination. [pause]

Think of the meaning of hallucination. What does it mean? [pause] All these are hallucination, think of the meaning of that, what it means. Empty. Nonexistent. All these starting from the I, all these phenomena including the mind that which projects hallucinations, a-l-l are totally, all these the way they are appearing something real from there, totally empty, nonexistent. In other words, all those are hallucination, all these. [pause] Including what it’s covered, merely imputed mind. So that means all these are totally nonexistent, empty. What was appearing, the way it is appearing before, hallucination, so means nonexistent. Totally nonexistent. [pause]

Now intensely concentrate on that emptiness. [very long pause]

In emptiness, so continue with that, in emptiness, [pause] there is no this and that. There is no samsara, nirvana. There is no hell, enlightenment. There is no me and you; bad and good; pure and impure. In emptiness there is no even the emptiness itself. Not even the emptiness itself. [long pause]

So total, so now here you can see, can get some idea the, no appearance of conventional truth and no, if there is appearance of conventional truth there will be appearance of inherent existence, for us, for sentient beings coming together, when there’s appearance of conventional truth then appearance of inherent existence. So the total absence of inherently, total absence of truly existent appearance, object, that which is object to be refuted. In Tibetan called ?me gar. So here emptiness only it makes sense, seeing emptiness only. Nothing else other than that. Emptiness only, tong pa nyi. [long pause]

So when you practice mindfulness looking at everything hallucination that which are hallucination, all the projections, that time you start to see their nature empty. When you look at, practicing mindfulness looking at them hallucination as hallucination, as they are hallucination, so that makes your mind to see the nature of the phenomena is empty, empty of existing by its own, before you believe, before you hundred percent believe that they are truly existent. As they appear to you, you believe that they are truly existent before that. But after you look at, after you recognize the projection, the hallucination as hallucination, that time then that makes your mind to see the phenomena are empty by nature, empty of existing from their own side. Empty of the nature means existing from its own side. So, ?cho tam che rang zhin tong pa, all the phenomena nature empty, empty by nature, so that.

Now, nothing you see, no conventional appearance, no truly existent appearance, nothing. Nothing rest of that. You see now all those are totally empty, nonexistent. What you see is only total absence of that, emptiness of that.

Only that. Nothing else. That very intensive, very strong, very intensive emptiness that your mind sees. That is the very nature of the phenomena, [pause] emptiness only. [long pause]

Now wisdom seeing emptiness, then that becomes the creator, so that, the meditator, everything. That becomes the creator of everything, doing sadhana, deity, everything. Now read. [pause] Manifest. Okay, read.

[Ven. Rene: The abbreviated sadhana. “While they are emptiness a PAM appears, and from this comes a variegated lotus /....”]

/ I think it should be kept like before, “while it is empty,” not “while it is emptiness only.” So it becomes emptiness only, then while it is empty, because it’s differences.

So here, before just concentrating on emptiness by stopping everything. Anyway, when you meditate on emptiness everything gets stopped, the truly existent appearance, the conventional, appearance of conventional truth, there’s no nothing, so emptiness only.

So now here, so that, your wisdom seeing that emptiness then manifest various things, mandala and the deity, [pause] all the details. So that means, what it means is while, so that mind which understand emptiness then takes this form, so whatever form that it takes, mandala or deity, the idea is constantly the mind is aware all these are empty. And the minute it takes form of mandala, it’s empty, empty of inherent existence. That it doesn’t have inherent existence. The minute it takes form of deity, there’s awareness that it doesn’t have inherent existence, even though it appears because we are sentient beings, so even though it appears inherently existent but understanding that, the mind which is in form of deity, aware or understanding that it doesn’t have inherent existence. So to have that awareness. So constantly there is the practice of wisdom. With method, mind focused on the mandala, deity, all the different, billions of different things, the pure appearance. Then at the same time that mind, at the same time there is the method. And at the same time, part of that mind, at the same time that mind is aware, every single of these things, as it takes form, doesn’t have inherent existence. Having understanding, even though it appears inherently existent but understanding it’s not true, having that understanding. That mind at the same time aware. So that wisdom, path of wisdom. So one mind practice method and wisdom together, inseparable. So that’s what receives the name vajra, Vajrayana, vajra. So if you meditate like that, inseparable method and wisdom, like this, deity, mandala, anything, then that’s how it becomes vajra, inseparable of the two, method and wisdom.

Then this brings us, ceases the defilements, gross, subtle, then brings us to enlightenment. So this is called yana, vehicle. So Vajrayana. So the sadhana from beginning to the end, so this is the way how we’re supposed to practice. So it becomes, in this way then from beginning to end of the sadhana then Vajrayana. Otherwise not, otherwise it doesn’t become Vajrayana. It only becomes, if you forget the part of, if you forget the emptiness, the nature of phenomena, then it’s only the method, and then it doesn’t become Vajrayana, like that. So this is the foundation of the practice.

Like the flour, the flour makes noodles; flour makes momos; flour makes bread, cake; flour can be in all sorts of form. So here, so the mind, your mind inseparability of method and wisdom is like the flour.

And this one, so if you say “while it is empty,” then “while it is emptiness,” then that means you are supposed to see only emptiness, no appearance of conventional truth, nothing. So while, so then you can’t have appearance of deity in that , or the mandala or anything, no _______, anything, can’t. So therefore, “while it’s empty,” so empty of true existence. So yeah, like that. So this one should be kept same as the previous one, offering time, “while it is empty,” so like that. So here same, tong pai nang le, so “while it’s empty.” Then it fits. Otherwise, there’s confusion. Then your mind is emptiness only, then you’re supposed to not appear any conventional nature, conventional appearance, nothing. Then the same time you have to build, you have to manifest the mandala, deity. ) So that problems comes, okay. So, “while it is empty.”

Ven. Rene: In the blessing of the offering it was “while everything is empty.”

Rinpoche: That’s right, that’s right, should be the same here.

Ven Rene: So, “while everything is empty” instead of “while they are emptiness”?

Rinpoche: Huh?

Ven. Rene: So, “while everything is empty” instead of “while they are emptiness”?

Rinpoche: “While...” No, no, I’m not saying that. “While it’s empty” means while they are empty of true existence. While they are empty of true existence, means that.

Ven. Rene: In the blessing of the offering, it was “While everything is empty, OM appears...”

Rinpoche: That’s right, that’s right. Exactly the same, yeah.

Ven. Rene: And here it says, “While they are emptiness, a PAM appears....”

Rinpoche: Oh, I see. So we throw away, we are going to throw away this word “only,” the word “only” we’re going to throw away this time.

Ven. Rene: There is no word “only” there.

Rinpoche: What! What? Yeah, before it’s correct. Now the next one, when we say “while” then we don’t say “only.” “While everything is empty of true existence.…’

Ven. Rene: So the sentence goes OM SVABHAVA SHUDDAH...HANG, All phenomena are empty by nature and thus become emptiness only.

Rinpoche: Perfect!

Ven. Rene: And then it goes on, “While they are emptiness, a PAM appears....”

Rinpoche: Oh, that’s great! No, emptiness?

Ven. Rene: “While they are emptiness, a PAM appears....”

Rinpoche: Oh, no, no. Emptiness, okay, but not the word “only.”

Ven. Rene: There’s no word “only.”

Rinpoche: Oh, okay, yeah. No, yeah, no, I’ve been hearing this, might be something wrong with my ear, but I have been hearing this part “while everything is emptiness only.”

Ven. Rene: No, it’s not there in the text. Maybe I said it but it’s not in the text.

Rinpoche: Oh, oh, oh. I was going to blame, I was about to say something _____ _____.

Anyway, go on. Okay, go on, please. Okay, now we run the horse.

Ven. Rene: “While they are emptiness, a PAM appears, and from this comes a variegated lotus...complete in all details /